Rio Grande City Officials Pay Tribute longtime physician Dr. Roberto M. Gonzalez

RIO GRANDE CITY, Texas — The City of Rio Grande City paid tribute to Dr. Roberto M. Gonzalez Lozano, a longtime Starr County physician and the 2024 Christmas Parade Marshal, in a statement posted to social media following his death.

"On behalf of [myself], the City Commission, and the residents of Rio Grande City, we extend our deepest condolences to the Gonzalez family, friends, colleagues, and all who were touched by his remarkable life," said Rio Grande City mayor Gilberto Falcon. "We honor his memory with gratitude and respect, and we will forever remember his unwavering service to humanity. May he rest in peace."

Gonzalez practiced medicine in Rio Grande City for more than six decades, serving generations of families as a family medicine physician and surgeon. He was chief surgeon at Starr County Memorial Hospital for 32 years, from 1975 to 2007, and played a central role in shaping healthcare in the region, according to local historian Ross Barrera.

Gonzalez was born March 14, 1936, in Higueras, Nuevo León, Mexico, His family later moved to Ciudad Mante, Tamaulipas, where he completed his primary and secondary education. He pursued higher education at Colegio Civil in Monterrey before enrolling at the Universidad de Nuevo León, earning a bachelor’s degree in 1955 and graduating from medical school in 1960.

He completed a rotatory internship at Hospital Universitario in Monterrey in 1961 and served as an assistant professor in the university’s pharmacology department from 1958 to 1961. Gonzalez later passed the Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates exam in 1963, allowing him to continue advanced medical training in the United States.

In 1964, Gonzalez completed an internship at Baptist Memorial Hospital in San Antonio, followed by a surgical residency at St. Thomas Hospital and Vanderbilt University from 1965 to 1969. He served as chief surgical resident during his final year. In 1972, he joined a medical practice in Roma and established his career in Starr County.

Gonzalez maintained memberships in the Starr County Hidalgo Medical Association, Texas Medical Association and American Medical Association beginning in 1972. In addition to his clinical work, he served on the Starr County Memorial Hospital board for 16 years and on the Rio Grande City Grulla Independent School District board for 12 years.

Beyond medicine, Gonzalez was deeply involved in civic service through the Lion’s Club. He joined the organization in Mexico in 1970 and later served multiple terms as president of the Miguel Alemán chapter. His leadership extended internationally, including service as district governor for a region encompassing Nuevo León, Tamaulipas and Coahuila, and as director of international relations representing the organization in countries such as Argentina and Hong Kong. In 2007, he was named national president of the Lion’s Club in Mexico.

City officials said Gonzalez’s selection as parade marshal for the 2024 Rio Grande City Christmas Parade recognized his lifetime of service and leadership.

The city of Rio Grande City and Starr County extended condolences to Gonzalez’s family, friends and colleagues, citing his lasting contributions to healthcare, education and civic life on both sides of the U.S.–Mexico border.